Veracel at the forefront of Atlantic rainforest restoration in Brazil

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released its 2018 Sustainability Report, which highlights the U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products manufacturing industry’s contributions to sustainability across the value chain, including members’ progress toward achieving the Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 sustainability goals. The full sustainability report, a video of highlights and other information are available at https://sustainability.afandpa.org. “We are pleased to represent companies that advance economic, environmental and social values,” said AF&PA President and CEO Donna Harman. “Their commitment led them to achieve the Better Practices, Better Planet 2020 goals to improve energy efficiency and worker safety ahead of schedule.” Click Read More below for additional information.

An industrial pavilion and a road section, both in the Aveiro region, are the first visible results at real scale of using waste generated in the pulp and paper industry in precast concrete structures and in bituminous mixtures for roads paving in Portugal. The challenge, which is both complex and ambitious, emerged as part of the paperChain European project and is already being put into practice in Ílhavo and Cacia: using waste from pulp production, such as lime ash, dregs and grits (granular waste) as secondary raw materials in the construction sector, integrating them in a circular economy logic. The paperChain project includes 20 partners from five EU countries committed to circularity boosting). In Portugal, the entities involved include the University of Aveiro, The Navigator Company, Spral, Megavia, RAIZ Research Institute and the Sustainable Habitat Cluster. Called "New niche markets for waste from the pulp and paper industry based on the circular economy", it is coordinated by the company Acciona Construction (Spain).

The new bio-boiler plant has been put into operation at UPM Joensuu Plywood Mill. It replaces the combined heat and power plant which was built in 1962. The modern bio-boiler plant not only improves the mill's energy efficiency but also environmental performance, occupational safety and fire safety. The boiler uses biofuel, i.e. by-products of plywood production, such as bark and wood chips. Thus, no additional trees are cut down to generate thermal energy. The combustion technology based on the grate technology is more efficient than the technology of the old power plant, which means lower fuel consumption per heat output and thus lower emissions.